Hilary Swank Regrets Attending Chechen President's Birthday

Hilary Swank has expressed profound regret for attending a concert in Chechnya on Oct. 5 that was essentially a huge birthday party for president Ramzan Kadyrov, who is accused of human rights violations.

After Human Rights Watch criticized her decision to fly in for the show, the two-time Oscar winner, 37, gave a statement to the Associated Press that read: “I deeply regret attending this event. If I had a full understanding of what this event was apparently intended to be, I would never have gone.”

Swank says the invitation said nothing about Kadyrov’s 35th birthday. Human-rights groups have accused the Chechen leader of torture, abductions and killings.